This invention relates to book jackets to cover books, periodicals, and the like and in particular elastic book jackets capable of expanding in both width and length to adjust to books larger in size to the original, relaxed size of the book jacket.
Some types of hard cover books, as, for example, school textbooks often require the individuals dealing with these books to provide a neat covering for the book. Typically this is accomplished by cutting a suitable wrapping paper into various sized pieces, and then utilizing adhesive tape to secure the pieces together to form a covering for a book. Obviously this time consuming and less than convenient book covering method can be improved upon with economical, ready made adjustable book covers.
Of course, attempts have been made to provide adjustable jackets for books as is evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 2,311,153. This patent discloses making a book jacket out of strips of a two-way stretch elastic material stitched together with relatively inelastic sections of cloth or paper. A stiffening element 50 (FIG. 1) aids in preventing sagging. The jacket is designed to accommodate books ranging between 73/4".times.11/4" to 9".times.61/2".times.3".
Again in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,630 a protective, adjustable book jacket is disclosed. In this invention a closed loop of elastic material 26 (FIG. 1) is enclosed within side hems in a jacket for a book, the purpose being to permit snug adjustment of the book jacket to fit the book which is to be covered.
And in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,325 and adjustable book jacket is disclosed, capable of being fabricated from a single piece of an elastic material such as nylon or spandex. To form the jacket the material is folded in two, sewn about its peripheral edges, and a slit is then made through the width of the jacket at the middle of the jacket. In this manner left and right pockets are formed which can then be secured over book covers of varying size. In addition the invention disclosed a built-in book marker as part of the jacket.
While these inventions provide useful conveniences in covering a range of book sizes, they do not fully address the problems solved by the instant invention. The disclosure herein describes an elastic book jacket that seamlessly covers 100% of the external area of the hard cover provided with the book itself within a range of book sizes approximately equal in size or larger than the relaxed, original size of the book jacket of the invention. In addition, a simple and economical method for making the book jacket of the invention is disclosed.
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide an economical, adjustable book jacket.
A further object of the invention is to provide a seamless, adjustable book jacket for covering the external surfaces of hard covered books.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable book jacket which covers 100% of the external surfaces of a range of book sizes equal to or larger than the original, relaxed size of the book jacket of the invention.
An additional object of the invention is to provide an adjustable book cover capable of being elastically adjusted to cover book covers substantially greater in width and length from the original, relaxed size of the book jacket of the invention.
Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable book jacket fabricated from a pattern which virtually eliminates waste material during fabrication.